An Abbey of Thrones
by Ashleigh Crawley
Summary: Cora Crawley and Catelyn Stark, best friends and married to the best friends, Robert Crawley and Ned Stark. They've been best friends since university and they spend a lot of time together. Today, they talk mostly about home decor and their families, as well as the love they have for the men they married. Rating may increase. High T, low M.


**Chapter One: Tea, Kissing and Duvets**

Cora sat at one of the tables at a prestigious London cafe, waiting for Catelyn to arrive from dropping her 3 youngest children off at school. She had no doubt that Arya was being a handful, she knew. She'd had Sybil who was just as wild as Arya at that age. It didn't help much that Sybil had seemingly taken Arya under her wing, both being the little rebels they are. She cracked a small smile at this. The two girls may be the family rebels, but they were quite well behaved compared to many young people today.

She sat waiting for about 20 minutes before she saw Cat pull up in her husband's car, with Ned sitting next to her in the driver's seat. She saw the two kiss right before Cat got out of the vehicle. Cora stood up and embraced her friend before sitting down. "I've ordered the tea, I didn't think it would take you long to get here," Cora said smiling. "Arya?"

"Naturally," Cat said laughing. "This morning it was a chore waking her up. She was up after everyone else went to bed, chasing Nymeria in the dark downstairs."

"Well, I must say, Sybil has never done anything that strange," Cora said, trying to not laugh. "Mostly it's her politics and fashion choices that Robert and I, mostly Robert, don't like."

"They're young," Cat said. "We have to let them live, while still caring for them as best we can."

"It's difficult when all they want is independence, and we're scared to give them too much in case something happens to them," Cora replied.

"That's certainly true," Cat said as the tea arrived. The two of them thanked the waitress who had brought them their tea. "So, how is everything back at home?"

"Everything is fine, what about you? Not counting the situation with Arya," Cora asked.

"Perfectly fine," Catelyn replied. "Ned wants to take me on holiday this summer, but I don't want to leave Robb with all his siblings by himself."

Cora looked up from her tea, knowing better than to mention Jon to Cat, whenever someone did that, it never ended well. Before Ned and Cat had started seeing one another, his previous girlfriend had gotten pregnant, which he didn't know when they had split. Ned had been a supporting man, while still being with Cat. And when Jon's mother died giving birth to him, rather than giving Jon up, Ned had decided to raise him. Cora knew that Jon would help Robb, the two got along very well, but Cat would not like to hear that.

"Well that's true," Cora agreed finally. "I mean, Robert and I could go on holiday and we wouldn't really have to worry. Mary's in university, Edith's almost in university and Sybil can take care of herself."

"And Mary would naturally take care of them when they need her, she loves her sisters, even if she may deny that fact about Edith" Cat said.

"She does. Like Robb with Bran and Rickon," Cora said. "So where would the two of you go?"

"Ned was thinking Germany, or somewhere else in Eastern Europe," Cat said. "Where would you and Robert go?"

"Probably Newport or New York, though he hates America in the summer," Cora explained. "It's too hot for his English blood."

The two of them laughed lightly. "It would be, wouldn't it?" Cat joked. The two of them continued talking until they ran out of tea, at which time Cat called Ned so he would come and pick them up. Cora, hearing only half the conversation, was (as always) left wondering what Ned was saying at the other end.

"Well yes, we could... but we'd rather you... well you're handsome... yes, we could call Robert... he's always busy... I know you are too... oh, please Ned... no... ugh, fine... okay, we'll wait ten minutes and if you're not here by then, I'm calling again," Cat said through the phone. "I love you too." She hung up and looked at Cora.

"I could've called Robert," she said. "Why do you always call Ned?"

"Because then I get a kiss," Cat replied. Cora smiled at that. She knew deep down that would be the reason she'd call Robert, because he'd be sure to kiss her gently. "So, your's or mine?"

"How about yours today?" Cora suggested. "We've been at mine basically all week."

"Alright," Cat agreed after a moment. "I can show you what we got on our shopping trip this past weekend. Ned and I got the most lovely duvet for the bed. It matches the room perfectly and we both like it. Unlike the ugly one we had before."

"I wish Robert would take the girls and I shopping. Though last time we did that, we spent far too much money, not that we can't afford it, but still," Cora said. "I'd like a new duvet."

Cat laughed slightly. "Are we turning into old ladies who sit around talking about home decor and duvets with each other?" she asked.

"I guess we are," Cora said. "Oh, well. Nothing anyone can do about two old ladies talking about duvets."

Cora paid the bill for their tea, and not long afterwards, Ned arrived to pick them up, taking them back to their home. The Crawleys, Starks and most of the other rich people they spent an absurd amount of time with, all named their homes. The Crawleys had Downton, the Starks had named their own residence Winterfell. Most people would think it was silly, but both Cat and Cora agreed that the home is part of the family. Cat pressed a small kiss to Ned's lips before they took off.

"Oh Cora, I have a message for you, from Robert," Ned said after a few moments. "He says that he'll be home early today, so make sure you're home around 3. You know he doesn't like going home to an empty house."

"No, and I don't know why either. But he's always been like that. Maybe he's afraid someone will jump out from somewhere and kill him, and if the house is empty, then no one will hear him scream before he dies," Cora said. "But I'd never let anyone kill my darling Robert, else I'd go after them and get my revenge."

"Would you take revenge if someone killed me Cat?" Ned asked.

"Of course I would, and there's no use asking if you would, because I know you would," Cat said, touching his hand gently. Ned was one of those people that only every used one hand on the steering wheel, except when necessary, Robert was the opposite, using two hands 98% of the time. Robert also had minor road rage, getting angry every time someone disobeyed a traffic law. It cracked Cora up, but it scared their children, especially Sybil's boyfriend Tom.

Ned glanced at his wife from the corner of his eye, noticing her unusually coy expression. She only wore that particular expression when she wanted him. He chuckled lightly and grasped her hand, hoping it would temporarily quench her desire for him. When they got back to Winterfell, it simply wouldn't do for he and Cat to abandon Cora and go upstairs to the bedroom for even a brief escapade. They were classier than that. Though there was nothing to hide from Cora, she had an extremely loving marriage as well.

Cora suddenly realized that Ned and Cat were half in their own world. If Ned wasn't driving, they would be lost in their love. Cora smiled lightly, thinking of how Robert had woken her that morning. She hummed slightly, shutting her eyes, remembering how gently he had caressed her. She didn't break her thoughts until she heard Cat giggle and Ned sigh.

"We're here," Ned said. "I need to grab something since I'm here. Give me a moment and I'll open your door for you ladies."

"You're such a gentleman Ned," Cat said, pulling his lips to hers. Cora cleared her throat. "Come on Cora, I've been waiting to do that for so long."

"You kissed him before we even left the cafe!" Cora exclaimed. "But I'd do the same with Robert, that's for sure."

"Precisely," Cat said. "Ned is my husband and I will kiss him as often as I want. I don't complain when you and Robert are kissing, do I?"

"No, you're right. And I'm glad my best friend and my husband's best friend are happy in their marriage. That way he and I aren't expected to keep secrets from our best friends and each other as well," she said, reaching out and touching Ned's and Cat's intertwined hands. "We love you both dearly."

"Alright ladies, thank you," Ned said. "But I do have to get back to work at some point."

"Right," Cat said, smiling and letting go of her husband's hand so he could get out of the car and open their doors. Once they were all inside the house, Ned ran up to his study to get the folder he had forgotten that morning, and Cat pulled Cora upstairs to see the new duvet. The two of them had been best friends since Cora came to England for university. That's how Cora had met Ned and Robert. Cat had been dating Ned at the time, Ned was best friends with Robert and well, without Cat and Ned, she and Robert might not even be together. So, naturally after being best friends for so long, of course there was nothing weird about Cat showing Cora the new duvet. When they had been younger, they'd show off new pieces of clothing to each other, this was almost the same thing. Cat opened the door, Cora following her inside. Cora's jaw dropped at the beauty of the duvet that was on the bed.

"I am so jealous," Cora said after a moment of looking at the duvet. The duvet was the most beautiful one Cora had ever seen. The duvet was a deep blue with a swirling pattern all over and a trim that looked like silk. It made Cora smile brightly, and want it at the same time.

"Well, when we were shopping, we weren't even thinking we needed a new one at the time. I mean, it's old, older than Sansa, but we figured a new duvet could wait until our next shopping trip. Then we saw this one. I fell in love instantly," Cat said.

"The same way you felt about Ned when you first met?" Cora asked, knowing the answer already.

"And you and Robert," Cat replied smiling lightly. "I'm so glad that Ned and I were together and he and Ned were best friends and I became yours. I remember the look on your face when you first laid eyes on Robert."

Cora blushed at that last comment. She had certainly loved Robert from the moment she saw him, but since he had just gone through a bad breakup, he wasn't really interested at first. But after Cat and Ned had told Robert that his breakup wasn't Cora's fault and that she was completely besotted with him, he had given her a chance and after less than a month, he had fallen in love with her. It had been the greatest moment of Cora's life, up until that point (except for the meeting that led to the love they shared). Most of the greatest moments of her life involved Robert, after all. She smiled at Cat before reaching out and touching the duvet, trying to control how much she wanted it. It was so soft, which would make it very comfortable for post-coital cuddling. She knew Cat and Ned had extremely soft sheets, since she and Robert had the same ones, ordered from the same catalogue on the same day. The sheets were lovely, but Cora did like the thought of a new duvet. But since she and Robert had bought a new one only a year and a half ago, it would be difficult to persuade him to let her buy a new one. "I wish Robert and I needed a new duvet," she pouted.

"You just got one though," Cat said. "If you ask, and persuade properly, he may say yes. You and I can be quite persuasive when it comes to our husbands, aren't we?"

"Well, I could work my magic with Robert, but he can resist me," she said. "Not often, but he can. Especially when he knows I'm up to something."

"He thought he could resist you for the first little while, but even then he gave in to everything you wanted. Even before you were dating, you had him doing everything you wanted," Cat said. "I recall him writing your final essay in one of your classes for you, because you didn't want to."

"That's different," Cora said. "It didn't cost money and we didn't practically just buy a new one."

"No, that's cheating," Cat said. "You can convince him, trust me. Once you do, you and I will go get one together."

"Well, I'll do my best," Cora said. "Who knows, I may be able to do it." She sat down on the bed with Cat next to her, stroking the duvet slightly. Ned stood outside the door, trying to decide if he should tell Robert about what Cora wanted to do, or just let her do it. He knew that Cora and Cat both cared a great deal about what they wore, what their linens and furniture looked like. They were very detail-oriented, which was a good thing since sometimes he and Robert didn't really care about things like that. Yet, they did care when their wives asked their opinion and they wouldn't do something unless they both wanted it.

Ned especially loved their new duvet. Their old one had been nice, but uncomfortable when making love on top of it when they didn't have time to get under the sheets. This one he didn't need to worry about at all. Cat was comfy, he was comfy and they didn't have to pretend like they could hold back long enough to get under the sheets. At the same time though, he loved getting under the sheets with Cat. The sheet fortresses the two of them had made over the years were some fabulous memories to Ned, and he was fairly certain that the memories were wonderful for Cat as well. He didn't doubt it. He shook his head lightly and left, knowing that Robert would enjoy Cora's persuading as much as he enjoyed Cat's.


End file.
